Irish women lost in OT to a 5-9 Ga. Tech team that played lights out coming back from 14 points down. This was a tough loss, one that we should have won, but we didn't. I think that is what we are going to see from this team, we just don't have the roster we have had the last few years and it's going to be a struggle to stay in the top 25.
I'm not that sympathetic to Ole Miss. Just ask the folks in Tenn. about old Lane. When you lie down with dogs you're gonna get fleas.
If you’re a team that got left out, I guess you can just wait til someone loses badly and then complain that the system is broken. Alabama lost badly to the #1 team in the country, but they also beat the #8 team to get there. I do agree with your comments about the transfer portal though. If a kid transfers early and is with us for 2 or 3 years that’s one thing but the guys that comes in for one year just disrupts the team chemistry long term, in my opinion. It would certainly discourage another player from sticking around and “waiting his turn”. I stopped watching the NFL because of free agency, and what college football has now is worse than the NFL system.
Only comment that I have is that ND was one of the 12 best teams and deserved to be in the playoffs. The rules wouldn't allow it. So Tulane and JMU got in over them. Both the AP and the Coaches polls had the Irish at #9. But of course they don't count. So we stayed home. BTW Texas thinks they should have been in the playoffs as well.and their win over Michigan fortified that claim to fans .
Marcus Freeman lured the Indianapolis Colts DL Coach, Charlie Partridge and have moved current DL coach Al Washington, to the vacant LB position. He coached LB at Ohio State before his move to ND when Jim Knowles didn't retain when he took over the Buckeyes defense. Also our dual sport WR (Football and Lacrosse) Jordan Faison is giving up lacrosse to concentrate on football only.
I see good things with the new DL coach hire and the move of Al Washington to LB Coach. Also a good thing that Faison now is 100% football.
I totally agree about Tulane and JMU, and while Texas does have a claim due their win over Michigan, and people can make claims about Notre Dame’s possible performance against teams they haven’t played, Alabama also justified their selection with their win over Oklahoma, but this discussion can go on forever with no resolution, so carry on.
I stopped making judgements quite a while ago. There are a hundred different ways to judge the team selections up to the actual selections and before the games are played. After that, the chips will fall as they fall. I remember well when Alabama curb stomped ND in the 2012 championship game, and the comments rained down that ND didn't deserve to be in the game. In fact, we did deserve to be there. Yet again, I say that my beef isn't with the teams themselves. It's with the unforgivable behavior of the ACC up to the team selections. By now everyone knows what I'm talking about whether you agree or not.
If I have offended anyone with a couple of my recent posts I apologize. I think You’ll find with rare exceptions I only post only on Notre Dame specific subject titles and assume I’m talking to other Irish fans only. Obviously it appears I’m wrong. I’m a very passionate ND fan so my post normally reflect that. Again, I’m sorry if I offended anyone here.
I feel that the selection committee's behaviour was suspect to say the least. The weeks leading up to the final selection they consistantly had ND in a position that put them into the mix. You can't help but think that this was in least part for TV ratings for their weekly show. The late week movemnet in teams was also "strange" to many observers. And lo and behold for the final standings Miami and ND were next to each other for the final spot. Fortunately for the Canes they were "anchored" to ND all season so that even while they were dropping 2 games that they easily should have won and ND was catching its stride and winning 10 straight, they were "pulled into" the playoffs on the basis of the first game. Obviously fans were disappointed but I think that the team that played so well after 2 crushing early defeats was truly despondent. Asking them to prepare for some meaningless bowl when their ultimate prize had seemingly been snatched from them seems unreasonable to me. And then there were the taunts, the label of "quitters" and the obligatory "crying Irish." And of course the parroting of "join a conference" which for ND means lose your identity. I think that there is a misconception as far as the relative strength of the conferences. The last 2 seasons the Championship game was played with 3 Big Ten teams and ND. So far in the playoffs this year the conference that got 5 teams into the playoffs has only beaten other teams from their conference and Tulane. They get high rankings because somehow their conference games are so difficult but watching their teams perform in the bowls and playoffs tells a different story. My conclusion is that the whole Playoff system is less about crowning a true College Football Champion but more about picking up checks as participation trophies by the conferences.
Tim, if you're thinking that you've offended me, forget it. You never have and never will. Ever since I met you years ago at an ND game, I've liked you as one of the good guys whos heart always is in the right place. ND football gives rise to passionate feelings, and I see you as a passionate guy. So am I and all the other Skybox folks - passionate about their FB programs. The rejection by the CFP committee, partially because of the ACC's conduct, has given rise to hard feelings, which are expressed in different ways. As kp, another one of the good guys, said, we're all entitled to our opinions. The great thing about the Skybox is that we all are respectful in expressing them. So please relax and understand that your presence here as a long time avid ND fan, and as one of the most informed about what's happening with the program, has made you a well-liked and valuable contributor. I consider you a friend. P.S. I think I recall that you brought your son with you to the ND game - correct me if I'm wrong - and I recall thinking that he was an impressive young man.
Thank you Sid. Yes, I did bring my son to that ND game way back when. I didn’t mean to Offend Kip either. Again it wasn’t about the Alabama program It was about this years Alabama team. I have and always had a bad habit of saying things without actually thinking before I do so. You would think I would by now.
No problem here. I normally don't post on subject titles for other teams, however, I do read them and when Alabama or the SEC is mentioned in them, I feel "invited" to comment/respond. I too am a very passionate Alabama fan and while I really try to maintain some objectivity sometimes I fail at that. I enjoy the discussion so usually if it doesn't get into personalities I don't get offended.
I submit there is another way of looking at this. The seeding process forced the SEC into eliminating each other. Oklahoma vs Alabama, then Georgia vs Ole Miss. The Big 10 hasn't had to face another Big 10 team yet. Having said that, I too wish the committee would rank the top 12 and put them in the playoffs.
Irish had a tough loss last night at CAL, I didn't watch but we were up 3 with seconds left and failed to get the foul called before the shot and it was to the ND fans who watched a missed call then the guy got off and made a 3pointer and they called a fool and he gets the 4 point play and they win. Again ND fans watching said it was a phantom foul. Coach went nuts and went after the ref , he was held back but received a public reprimand from the ACC for his behavior. He apologized last night after the game. We were not good from the foul line and freshman Jalen Haralson who is playing well except for his foul shooting.